Our Not-So-Happy Endings
by TheHiddenPanda
Summary: Misunderstandings, infidelity, unrequited crush—something as innocent as love simply cannot exist in a world as dark as the mafia's. Here, we catch glimpses of our favorite members' lives as they struggle with the abstract emotion and the heartaches that come with it. A series of one-shots for the cynical. (Some AU, older characters, crack!pairings, maybe hetero/homosexual couples)


**Hello everyone! Welcome to my fairy tale book of tragic love stories. These are for the people who feel a bit bitter towards love at the moment, or maybe you'll stumble upon something fluffy here and there? Who knows~**

**As of now, updates will be random and up for debate. They'll happen, albeit slowly. **

**Anyways, enough of you having to read me ramble. Here's our first 'pairing':**

GokuderaxKyoko

Rated: T

Synopsis: _Gokudera watched as the loves of his life walked onto the altar, arm in arm, a familiar twinge causing him to nearly gasp out. If he had, he was sure that Yamamoto, who stood shaking next to him, would take notice._

_It was this devotion that had saved Gokudera from time to time._

_The now 22-year-old man smiled bitterly._

_It was this same devotion that caused him so much heartache._

* * *

It was a still morning. The sun had barely peeked from its rest the night before, lighting the surroundings with its warm glow. The orange trees swayed with the chilly wind, signifying the fall season. Leaves gently swayed down to ground, only to be smashed by the foot of Gokudera Hayato. He inhaled his cigarette deeply, letting out the smoke in one long breath.

Haru really outdid herself with the venue, Gokudera admitted. The girl was frantic just the night before to make 'everything perfect for the wedding of the century'! Gokudera smiled bitterly as he surveyed the decorated chapel. The grass had been neatly trimmed, and the leaves from the night before were swept away to allow just 'some on the ground'. Lilies, hyacinths, and roses decorated the aisles and golden ribbons were hung in tights bows around the seats. One long white carpet, with its edges embroidered with the Vongola insignia, was put on the floor. He could see the marvelous white piano that he was to play with. With a soft sigh, Gokudera extinguished his cigarette and reluctantly put it on one of the nearby ashtrays. He certainly did not need the Japanese woman to induce her wrath on him.

Gokudera approached the piano slowly, walking on the carpet softly. He glanced up at the altar, ornate with flowers, gold, and flowing ribbons that seemed to reach up to the skies. The light that came from the sun hit the tainted windows of the church just right. It nearly took Gokudera's breath away, but he would never admit it. Finally, he reached the instrument and traced his forefinger over it smooth wooden surface. How much this cost the mafia family, Gokudera would never know, but he supposed that since it was the Tsuna's wedding day, everything had to be spectacular.

Gokudera felt a small smile tug at his lips, a contemplative look on his face.

What if it had been _his _wedding day?

* * *

_Gokudera huffed moodily as he crankily tried to navigate his way through school. Just how was he supposed to find a Sawada Tsunayoshi in this god damn school? It was far too big, and Gokudera was just about to give up trying to find his own classroom. _

_A small tap on his shoulder sent the bomber's temper off the roof. He turned abruptly, glaring, until he noticed exactly whom he was glaring at._

_The first thing Gokudera noticed was how big her amber eyes got when they met his squinted green ones. Her short brown hair framed her small face, smalls locks framing it just right in the front. A pair of pink, plush lips trembled in fear before pursing itself together and forming a gentle smile. _

"_Do you need any help?" the girl kindly offered. Gokudera gulped before hastily shaking his head no. The girl blinked, tilting her head a bit in a way similar to that of a clueless puppy. Gokudera couldn't tell the difference. "Er, my name is Sasagawa Kyoko. You are?"_

"…_Gokudera," Gokudera hurriedly mumbled out. He refused to make eye contact with the inquisitive girl, whose gaze probed him to go further in depth. "Hayato."_

"_Well, Hayato-kun, class is that way just in case you forgot," Kyoko happily pointed out. Gokudera stared at her joyful expression, causing the girl to blush a bit at the intensity of his look. She gave him a wave goodbye before scurrying off to her friend who had waited by the door. Gokudera couldn't tear his eyes off of her retreating form, and she must have noticed this._

_Just before she disappeared through the door, Kyoko met the silver-haired boy's gaze and gave him a quick wave goodbye. Gokudera didn't even notice his hand moving to reciprocate the gesture. It was only when she giggled and left that he realized._

* * *

"Gokudera-kun!" a distant voice called out, rousing the man from his recollections. Gokudera blinked when he saw Haru jogging up to him, panting. The way her hair was tumbled and the ruffled papers on her clipboard told Gokudera all he needed to know about the woman's state of mind. "I've been looking all over for you!"

"Haru," Gokudera greeted. He moved his hand away from the piano and stepped down from the podium to be on the same level as Haru, though he still easily towered over her. She was the same height as Kyoko, Gokudera mused. "What's wrong now?"

"Don't joke around, Hayato," Haru hissed. Gokudera winced at her tone. She only ever used his name like that whenever she was incredibly upset. "I need you to talk to Tsuna-kun. He's been a frantic mess since the night before, and as his right-hand man, I think only you can do it."

"Are you sure it's not something the great Haru can fix?" Gokudera teased. The forlorn look in her eyes, however, made Gokudera immediately regret his words. He wasn't the only one who would be filled with conflicting feelings today. Just as he was Tsuna's best friend and most trusted guardian, Kyoko and Haru were inseparable. He wondered how long the girl had been suffering.

"Get going, Gokudera-kun," Haru commanded. Her lips were trembling, but steely determinance radiated out of her. Nothing would ruin her best friend's most memorable day; Haru would personally make sure of it. When Gokudera nodded his head and began to make his way back into the hotel room, Haru added, "You look nice today, by the way. I'm so glad I picked out those ties and boutonnieres for you guys."

"This day wouldn't be nearly as great as it is if it wasn't for you, Haru," Gokudera replied offhandedly. Haru could only smile at his comment, wiping away her tears while the man's back was turned. After all, she needed to save them for later.

* * *

"_Kyoko, that guy over there keeps eying you!" He heard one of her friends say. He was glad that his hair covered his ears pretty damn well, or else they would have seen just how red they were. "Go up and talk to him!"  
_

"_Hana-chan, I barely know him." He heard her reply. Gokudera mentally cursed inside his head. Why couldn't she just talk to him already and make his life easier? "Besides, what if we're bothering him?"_

"_That doesn't matter, Kyoko!" Hana hissed back, not at all quietly. Kyoko eyed her friend warily. "The guy is hot! If you won't do it, at least do it for me." _

"_If you say so…" Kyoko sighed, finally relenting. Gokudera could hear footsteps approaching and wondered if his heartbeat was just as loud. The brunette sat on the same bench as him, though on the other side. Gokudera kicked himself for not sitting in the middle. "Hello again."_

"…'_Sup," Gokudera greeted back. He wanted to bang his head against the wall for such a lame response. A heavy, awkward silence settled between the two, and the tension was palpable. The girl would have more fun talking to a wall than him at this point. "So, in the same class, huh?"_

"_Yeah, who would have guessed," Kyoko said, laughing. He liked her laugh. It wasn't loud and obnoxious, nor was it too soft to be heard. It was just right, and it rang in his ears in a pleasant melody. "My friend, Hana, she's over there, and well…"_

"_I'm not really that kind of guy," Gokudera interjected. Kyoko blinked before closing her mouth, essentially holding back her attempts to advocate for her friend. "I mean, I already have this girl I'm interested in."_

"_Oh," was all Kyoko could say. She would have been lying if she didn't say that she was just a tiny bit disappointed. "She must be a really nice girl."_

"_Yeah, she is," Gokudera agreed. He coughed into his hand, sending a small glance over towards Kyoko that went by unnoticed. "I mean, she goes up to talk to unsociable guys for her friend."_

_Even girls who were as ditzy as Kyoko could understand the meaning behind Gokudera's words. She felt a blush creepy up on her face when she felt the full weight of them. Seeing her turn red also caused the bomber to become flustered. _

_The two were too caught up in their embarrassment to notice that the bell had rung. It wasn't until Hana had called over to Kyoko that the two would separate. _

"_Um, goodbye," Kyoko said, smiling shyly at Gokudera. The boy could only dumbly nod his head in response, his voice lost to her adorableness. He mentally patted himself on the back for his smoothness._

* * *

When Gokudera entered his best friend's room, he didn't expect the mess. Sheets were thrown around haphazardly, and the curtains were all torn up. Natsu was sitting on the bed, shivering as beady eyes darted to and from. When they settled on Gokudera, Natsu yelped and began to jump around, knocking over the vases and who knows what else kind of glass products that shattered upon contact on the carpet stained by wet paw prints.

Gokudera needed to find his boss fast. He searched the bedroom and was relieved to find Tsuna huddled in the bathroom corner. He was pleasantly pleased to find that his friend at least managed to change into his attire for the day. When Tsuna caught Gokudera's concerned look, the man coughed nervously and straightened up.

"Gokudera-kun, you caught me at a bad time," Tsuna said, nervously scratching the back of his neck. Even after all these years, the nervousness that had bundled up inside him had exploded and reverted the 22-year-old back into his No-Good Tsuna days. "I'm sorry you had to see this mess."

"Tsuna, you know you can tell me anything that's on your mind," Gokudera sighed, crossing his arms firmly. Tsuna flinched, but he eventually relaxed. He slumped over to his side, alarming Gokudera. "Tsuna!"

"Sorry, Gokudera-kun, but can you leave me like this until I get my thoughts together?" Tsuna pleaded. The poor wreck closed his eyes, trying to calm his breathing as the man tried to gather his thoughts. Gokudera leaned against the sink and allowed the silence to take over. The moment allowed him to go back to another memory.

* * *

_It had been a week since Gokudera officially dubbed himself as Tsuna's right-hand man. The two were in the library, where the silver-haired youth attempted to help the Vongola boss candidate on a math quiz the latter had failed miserably. _

"_Sorry for having you accompany me, Gokudera-san," Tsuna apologized, tapping the pencil against his temple repeatedly. Gokudera only smiled at the hopeless boy._

"_No worries, Tenth!" Gokudera dismissed. When he saw that Tsuna could no longer focus on the problem, he closed his book suddenly, causing the other boy to jump from his seat. "Why don't we take a break?"_

"_Sounds good," Tsuna agreed. Gokudera watched the boy's gaze wander until they settled out towards the window. Gokudera, curious, followed his eyes until he saw a familiar brunette walking side-by-side with another girl. The bomber glanced sideways and saw the faint tint of pink on his friend's cheeks._

"_Do you like her?" Gokudera suddenly asked. He couldn't stop his impulse; he had to confirm it now before his attraction got in the way of Tsuna's. "Sasagawa, I mean."_

"_I-no-well—" Tsuna stumbled for words. His ears began to heat up. Was he really that obvious? However, the boy deflated soon afterwards. "It's hopeless anyways. A girl like that is way out of my league."_

_Gokudera nearly breathed a sigh of relief, but when he saw Tsuna's dejected form, he couldn't stop himself. Something inside him just wanted to reach out and comfort the poor boy._

"_I think you're a great person, Tenth," Gokudera suddenly said. Tsuna raised his head up hopefully, and Gokudera gulped, willing himself to continue. "I fully support you."_

_It wasn't just Tsuna's smile that made Gokudera feel empty. The resignation of any possible relationship with the best girl he could have possibly had made the situation ten times worse._

* * *

Back in present time, Gokudera adjusted his position when he saw that Tsuna had come to, an unreadable expression on his friend's face. Worry lines began to form on the Vongola head's forehead.

"Gokudera-kun, what if Kyoko-chan becomes unsatisfied with me?" Tsuna finally said after a long delay. Gokudera would have laughed just then were it not for the genuine worry that plagued Tsuna. "What if she finds someone she loves more?"

Gokudera felt a guilty pang in his stomach when he caught himself wishing that it would be him who Kyoko loved. But, it wasn't. The man who she loved was sitting there in front of him, next to a toilet seat, concerning himself with matters that were beyond Gokudera's understanding.

Gokudera sighed before lowering himself down to Tsuna's level. The young boss met Gokudera's solemn eyes nervously. "Listen, Tsuna, not every guy can claim they have over thousands of people under his control, one of them being Hibari Kyoya."

"The last part is a little bit questionable," Tsuna argued, though he had to agree with his Storm Guardian. However, that caused the boy to worry even more. "What kind of dangers will await her now that she'll be the Headwife of the Vongola?"

"Tsuna, there are no doubts in anyone's mind that you will keep her safe," Gokudera replied seriously. Even if there were people who could get past the Guardians, he absolutely believed that Tsuna could keep anyone safe. It was for that reason that Ryohei had decided to hand over his beloved little sister to him after all. "Have more confidence in yourself Tsuna."

Tsuna adverted his gaze, but Gokudera was realized to see his friend's shoulder relax. "I wish I was you sometimes, Gokudera-kun."

Gokudera was relieved that Tsuna was not looking at him right now, or else the man would have seen the flash of remorse in his eyes. If anything, it was Gokudera wishing that it was him who would be walking Kyoko down the aisle, not Tsuna. The Storm Guardian only patted Tsuna in the back before getting up, helping his boss to his feet as well.

"Well, it's a good thing we got you out of your hole," Gokudera laughed, though to him it was very empty. Tsuna gave his friend a small smile and returned Natsu into his box. "Go outside and greet your guests, Mr. Groom."

"I will," Tsuna chuckled. He gave Gokudera a thankful look and promptly left. Gokudera let out a long huff when he heard the door close. Stuffing his hands in his pockets, it was at this moment that Gokudera needed a smoke more than ever.

* * *

_It was Valentine's Day, and Gokudera would have been lying if he said he didn't expect girls to give him something. For one reason or another, Tsuna and Yamamoto had decided to leave the bomber to his fangirls' mercy, much to his chagrin. He was, however, surprised to find a small brunette nervously hanging in front of his locker with a bag in her hands._

_When Kyoko noticed him, she jumped up from her position with a small blush on her cheeks. Lately, the boy had been distant to her ever since their initial meeting. Nowadays, she could only find him with the accompaniment of his friends, and even then, she found herself mostly alone with Haru or Tsuna. "Hello, Hayato-kun."_

"_H-Hi," Gokudera breathed out. Kyoko eyed the bags already in his possession and mentally hit herself for not approaching him sooner. Gokudera fidgeted nervously in his stance. "What are you doing here?"_

"…_It's Valentine's Day, isn't it?" Kyoko softly murmured. It was then that Gokudera noticed the pink bag in her hands. He saw some chocolate peeking out from the wrapping and felt his stomach curl in a tight ball. Was it from excitement? Horror?_

_Gokudera suddenly remembered Tsuna, and bit his lip. Quickly, he tried passing off the atmosphere with, "Oh, friendship chocolate? You must have given some to Tsuna and them too, huh?"_

_Kyoko felt her blush deepen and ducked her head. This was the first Valentines that it wasn't solely consolidation chocolate. "No, not these." _

_Gokudera gulped nervously, trying to erase any sort of glee in him. This wasn't right, especially after all the memories he shared with Tsuna. He owed the boy this much. "…I'm sorry. I can't accept them, Kyoko."_

_Kyoko felt her world shatter just then. She wished that the ground would have opened to swallow her up just then. Devastation was written all over her face, but she cleverly hid it behind a well-crafted smile. She hoped he didn't see the tears that welled up in the corner of her eyes._

"_Oh, I guess so since you have that many already, right Gokudera-kun?" Kyoko said swiftly. She tried to hide the mortification with a cheerful tune. Gokudera winced at the sudden change. "Well, then, I guess I should go now. Maybe I'll see you tomorrow then?"_

_Gokudera knew that he wouldn't be seeing the girl anytime soon. The tear that flew down her cheek confirmed it. Realizing that she was just about to burst, Kyoko excused herself brashly. Gokudera could only manage out another half-hearted apology as he watched the girl of his dreams dash away, as far away from him as possible. He closed his eyes and sighed, angrily throwing down the chocolates in his arms._

_No amount of sweets could possibly compete with the ones that he could have received just then._

* * *

"Gokudera!" Yamamoto called out. Gokudera winced as the baseball swung an arm casually over his shoulders. Out of habit, the man shook it off, to which Yamamoto merely laughed. "Well, I suppose even on Tsuna's big day you can't handle this much from me."

"Shut up," Gokudera huffed. Yamamoto's cheerful demeanor quickly disappeared though.

"Actually, I have a favor to ask of you," Yamamoto said suddenly. Gokudera stiffened at his tone. Yamamoto sighed before explaining. "Can you go check-up on Kyoko? Haru's got me doing things, and Ryohei's a mess in the bathroom. Kyoko won't let Tsuna see her before the altar, so it falls onto you."

"ME?" Gokudera hissed out. This was absolutely the worst thing that could possibly happen to him. The last thing he needed was to be in the room, alone, with the girl who he had previously rejected but still held feelings for. "Why can't you find someone else to do it?"

"I thought you of all people would be more than willing to help on Tsuna's special day," Yamamoto said naively. It was innocent enough, and Gokudera realized that it would be perfectly normal for the best man to go help the bride. "Please? If not for me, for Tsuna."

"Alright, I'll go," Gokudera finally said, giving in. He stuffed his hands into his pockets and made his way to the bridal room. Out of courtesy, he knocked on the door and was allowed in. Right about now would be a great time for a smoke.

"Kyoko, it's Hayato," Gokudera said. He walked into the small room and was greeted by a marvelous sight.

Kyoko's shoulder length hair had been curled and done up with the bedazzled veil cascading down her back. Her shoulder less dress revealed her milky complexion, and the intricate skirt flowed almost seamlessly into the floor. Her bouquet lay on her lap, but her hands were too busy trying to wipe away the tears.

"Oh, Hayato-kun," Kyoko sniffed. She quickly tried to fix herself up as Gokudera stood off towards the side awkwardly. "I asked for Haru-chan, not to offend you or anything."

"No, it's okay, I'm sure Haru would be better suited for this," Gokudera agreed. He nervously shuffled his feet on the carpet floor. Kyoko nodded her head in agreement before turning around to fix her mascara. The silence the engulfed the room was suffocating.

"I must look like a mess, don't I?" Kyoko mused half-heartedly. Gokudera felt as if his throat had closed up.

_No, you look beautiful._

_What are you talking about? You look gorgeous._

_I don't want anyone else seeing you like this._

There were a million things that swirled around Gokudera's mind, and there were a million things that he could not say to the woman in front of him about to be married. It was frustrating, but this frustration was for his best friend's future.

Noticing his struggle, Kyoko turned around from her seat in front of the vanity drawer. "Something wrong, Hayato-kun?"

"…You look fine," Gokudera finally let out. A small blush nestled itself on Kyoko's cheeks and Gokudera thought that looked better than any kind of effect make-up could create. "Tsuna's one lucky hell of a man."

There was something about that statement that seemed to set off a kind of unspeakable spark between the two. Kyoko had to turn her head away from him so she could compose herself before more tears were to be shed before going outside in front of hundred. She needed a smile today, not a breakdown.

"I suppose I'm a lucky woman too," Kyoko murmured, more to herself if anything. Her fingers quivered, but they managed to put on the earrings that Haru picked out for her. Pearls, the hyperactive woman had said, pearls because she was pearl to the oysters, or something along those lines. Little did she know that Vongola had actually meant clam.

Again, the room was filled with silence. By now, there was something that stirred up inside of Hayato, watching Kyoko getting dressed for her wedding day in front of him. The feelings he had been holding back were now wrestling with his self-discipline, and he was struggling to keep them in check. As he was silently fighting his internal conflict, Kyoko suddenly stood up from her seat.

Time seemed to stop as the woman slowly closed the distance between them. Gokudera felt his throat dry up as he watched her move. She looked absolutely flawless, and that only made things harder for him in his current situation. Why was the world so unjust to him today?

"Tell me something, Hayato-kun," Kyoko started to say. Gokudera eyed her warily as she approached him closer. "Do you think I look beautiful today?"

Gokudera felt his Adam's apple bob. She was looking straight through him, trying to discern any sort of lie or fallacy or discrepancy in his resolve. It was almost unfair and, in turn, it made _him _want to cry.

"Yes," was all he could manage out. Kyoko, however, did not stop there.

"Do I always look as beautiful?"

The years that had trained him to be a master of deceit crumbled under her pure gaze. "Yes."

"Then **why**?" Kyoko finally managed to gasp out. A sob was choked back, and she clenched her fists tightly to stop the waterworks from coming. It was a vague enough question, but both parties knew exactly what kind of question was being asked.

Gokudera distanced himself from the shaking woman. Her eyes looked up to his in a questioning stare off, but Gokudera met them in a steady gaze.

"You look beautiful, today and always," Gokudera murmured through gritted teeth. The man sat himself down on one of the unoccupied chairs and gave Kyoko a rueful smile. It was so heartbreaking that Kyoko felt her anger dissipate instantaneously. "**Tsuna **is a lucky man."

Kyoko felt any sort of fear or second thoughts disappear immediately after hearing her fiance's name. A light feeling, soft and fluffy, had settled on her heart, and any sort of doubt danced away from her head. She gave Gokudera a nod of agreement, an unreadable smile on her lips.

Gokudera watched the petite woman as she lowered her head down. He couldn't see her expression from his vantage point, but her trembling shoulders told him what he needed to know. It was ironic that both the groom and bride showed so much doubt today, doubts that he cleared away personally. Finally, after what seemed like decades to Gokudera, Kyoko lifted her head up. A brilliant smile adorned her face, and the hollow look in her eyes was gone. Something had filled them up, and the way they sparkled under the morning light hit Gokudera right in the gut.

"Yes, I suppose he is," Kyoko whispered gently. Languidly, she went over to the vanity dresser and picked up her bouquet, giving her first love one last look. "Thank you, Hayato-kun, for everything. Tsuna and I have been truly blessed by you."

Gokudera couldn't find it in himself to give a reply. As much as the 'you're welcome' wanted to come out, he found the words stuck in his throat. The amount of preparation he had simply disappeared, and no amount of pain could compare to this. Kyoko took this cue to begin her departure.

"I'll be waiting for your piano solo," Kyoko said, giving Gokudera one final wink before shutting the door close. Gokudera could only shake his head at the girl's wicked antics. He always did hate playing in front of the crowd.

With one last sigh, he heaved himself up and caught sight of his reflection in the vanity mirror. In front of him stood a worn out young adult who looked as if he had just seen a ghost. In any other situation, he would have laughed at his image, but the lingering thoughts of Kyoko sitting here just moments before stopped him.

He could have easily stolen her away. They could have ran out of the altar, destroying all of Haru's hard work. They could have eloped, with their friends' and familys' horrified responses buried deep behind them.

But Gokudera paused when Tsuna's face popped into his mind. Tracing his fingers over the vanity top, he stopped to find the Vongolas boss' insignia on Kyoko's belongings. He chuckled and shook his head.

Kyoko and Tsuna were going to spend the rest of their lives happily married, and Gokudera was more than satisfied to say that he was the cause of most it.

* * *

**...tada?**

**That's the end, but don't think that this chapter is over just yet! There will be a continuation for our poor little Hayato. **

**The next couple won't be as odd as this one; at least, I don't think so? For now, the following chapters will continue using this timeline as their reference point. Tsuna's wedding, after all, has affected a ton of people in this chapter, don't you think? **

**Comment any future suggestions and criticisms to my writing style. I'm willing to work with any couple really (straight, gay, lesbian, bi, threesome; you name it, and it can probably happen in the mafia!)**

**Bye for now~ **


End file.
